Wastewater Services

During intense storms, rapid snowmelt, or heavy rainfall, many municipalities across Ontario face a similar challenge: a massive volume of water enters the sewer system at the same time. When the volume of water exceeds what the wastewater treatment plant can safely handle, a "bypass" occurs to prevent sewage from backing up into residents' basements. 

The Town of Collingwood’s wastewater system is relatively modern compared to many older municipalities, but Inflow and Infiltration still occur. In other words, water is getting into pipes where it doesn't belong. This happens when stormwater (rain) and groundwater (water in the soil) leak into the sanitary sewer system through small cracks in pipes or through manhole lids. Water occasionally enters the system through illegal connections on private property, for example from roof downspouts or sump pumps that are incorrectly connected to the sewer instead of being directed to the lawn or storm drain.

The Town is constantly monitoring its network of pipes to identify and fix leaks. By sealing manholes and repairing underground cracks, we reduce the amount of "extra" water that reaches the wastewater treatment plant.

You can play your part in protecting your home and the environment by ensuring your sump pump and roof downspouts discharge onto your lawn or into the ground, and never into the floor drain in your basement. This keeps stormwater (rain) out of the sewer system, leaving more room for wastewater.

The Town of Collingwood’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is a critical piece of infrastructure that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! Most of the time, it manages the needs of the Town easily, operating at an average capacity of 70%. However, during intense storms, the amount of water entering the wastewater plant can double or even triple! When these extreme levels are reached, the plant reaches or exceeds its ability to treat wastewater.

Upgrading the wastewater treatment plant is a massive, multi-year project. The Town is currently in the high-level planning phase to evaluate the best solution for Collingwood through two major studies – the Master Servicing Plan and an Environmental Class Assessment (EA). The Master Servicing Plan maps out how much water and wastewater capacity the Town will need to support the projected growth of the Town over the next several decades. The EA is a required, in-depth study that determines the most environmentally friendly way to expand the wastewater treatment plant. It specifically looks at how an upgrade can not only support growth in the Town but reduce the risk of bypass events.

As you can imagine, infrastructure on this scale is costly, and the Town is working to protect taxpayers. Decisions are made in alignment with the Town’s Official Plan to ensure that we build responsibly and to the needs of the community. Costs are significantly offset by Development Charges, or fees paid by developers to ensure that growth in Collingwood pays for growth of Town programs and services.

Think of the wastewater plant as a highway. Most days, traffic moves smoothly. But during a long weekend or holiday rush (like a major rainstorm or snow melt), there are simply too many “cars” (water) for the number of lanes available on the road. To prevent "traffic" (sewage) from backing up into your home’s basement, the wastewater plant has to use a bypass as a safety valve.

When a heavy storm hits, Town Staff on the ground immediately taking action to protect you and your property. This is done through:

• Active Monitoring: "Hot spot" manholes and pipes where water tends to collect are checked to ensure everything is moving as it should.
• Clearing Blockages: Ensuring drainage systems are clear means standing groundwater doesn't put extra pressure on our sewer pipes.
• Emergency Measures: In rare/ extreme cases, a controlled bypass may be initiated to prevent widespread basement flooding, by directing water toward Georgian Bay.
• Consistent & Timely Communication: Information and updates are shared promptly through the Town’s News & Notices page and multiple social media channels.

Being a waterfront community can add unique challenges, particularly with the wind. In the past, high winds have pushed lake levels high enough to "back up" the plant’s outfall (where treated water leaves the plant) and water from Georgian Bay entered the front end of the wastewater treatment plant. The Town has bolstered areas where lake water has overflowed into the system by raising containment walls.

The fluctuation of the Town’s population from tourists and non-permanent residents can add to the daily "traffic" in the system, but this is not the primary cause of bypass events. All residents and visitors contribute to the normal, daily amount of waste the plant handles. During a bypass, the overwhelming majority of the water in the system isn't waste from people and homes — it's stormwater (rain and melted snow) that has leaked into the pipes.

Whether you are a full-time resident or a temporary visitor, being mindful of what goes down the drain helps. The most important thing you can do is ensure that rainwater from your property stays out of the sewer system. This protects the plant’s capacity for everyone, regardless of how busy the Town gets during peak seasons.

Wastewater operators have seen an increase in items like “flushable” wipes, paper towels, gloves, and other materials entering the sanitary system. These items do not break down like toilet paper and can clog pipes, damage equipment, and cause sewer backups in homes.

Even products labeled "flushable" can create serious blockages. This can lead to equipment shutdowns, costly repairs, and increased strain on essential wastewater services. It can also damage the pluming in your home.

So, What Goes Where?

• Toilet: Only #1, #2, and toilet paper  
• Garbage: Non-flushable and “flushable” wipes (e.g., baby wipes, cleaning wipes), Gloves, etc.
• Green Bin: Paper towels, cooking fats, oils, and/or grease

Please share the message “Only Flush Toilet Paper” so that we can keep our essential services up and running! 

A municipal sanitary sewer system is a network of underground pipes carries wastewater from homes and businesses to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The sewer line that carries wastewater from the sanitary fixtures (sink, toilet, tub) and floor drains inside your home or business to the Town's sewer main is called a sewer lateral.  As per the Sewer Use By-law, property owners own and are responsible for maintaining the sewer lateral from inside the building to the connection with the Town sewer.

What to do if you have a sewer blockage

1. Check Toilets and Sinks for Blockages
2. Call a professional

• If issue still persists the homeowner should contact a private service provider, such as a plumber, to identify the issue and remove the blockage.
• Homeowners also have the option to call Public Works at 705-445-1030 for assistance where service fees are applicable as per the 2025 Fees and Service Charges By-Law.

3. Locate the Sewer Cleanout and Ensure Access

• The home’s sewer cleanout must be located and accessible. Please provide a clear path to the cleanout and make sure it is fully exposed to allow specialized machinery to be used.

4. Call for a Sewer Safety Inspection

• Before doing any work beyond the outside walls of the building, visit the Ontario One Call (ON1Call) or call 1-800-400-2255 for a Sewer Safety Inspection so Enbridge Gas can eliminate the potential of a gas line conflict with your sewer lateral.
• The Inspection is provided at no cost to the homeowner. If the Town is performing the work, they will look after arranging for the sewer safety inspection.

5. Avoid Using Your Plumbing

• Avoid flushing toilets and using the sink, tub and shower drains until the source of the sewer backup has been corrected.

6.  Replacement or Repair of a Failed Sewer Lateral

If the blockage is not able to be cleared, depending on the location of the blockage (private property or Town property), the owner or Public Works may need to excavate so that the sewer lateral can be repaired or replaced. The homeowner is responsible financially for the maintenance, replacement or repair of a failed sewer lateral on both private and Town property.

(a) Private Property - if the required work falls within the area from the building to the property line (private property), the homeowner can make their own arrangements to repair or replace the section on private property without the involvement of the Town. Contact Building Services for Building Permit requirements. When the sewer lateral at the property line has been exposed we would ask that you contact Public Works in order that the Town can confirm that the section within the roadway is clear. 

(b) Town Property - where the failure occurs in the portion of the sewer lateral between the property line and the sewer main (Town property), the repair work must be undertaken by Public Works.

• Fees - the cost for replacement is 50% of time and materials to a maximum of $6,000.00 as per By-law 2020-015.
• Authorization for Work – the homeowner will need to authorize the work by signing a Work Order prepared by Public Works.
• Locates - Public Works will arrange for locations to identify any underground infrastructure in the dig area.
• Repair/ Replacement – Public Works will complete the repair or replacement of the sewer lateral.
• Invoice – following completion, the homeowner will receive an invoice for the works.

Both Private and Town Property – if replacement or repairs are needed on both private and Town property, the work on the Town section would take place after your install and would follow the same steps as in (b).

What can cause a sewer blockage?

• Tree roots growing into the sewer line
• Too much fat, oil and/or grease buildup in the sewer line
• Improper disposal of items such as rags, wipes, toys, garbage, diapers, sanitary napkins, etc.
• Structural concerns such as breaks and/or collapses of deteriorated sanitary sewer lines

The most common cause of backed up drains or basement flooding in a home is a blockage in the sewer lateral connecting the home to the sanitary sewer on the street.

In the rare event of a sanitary sewer overflow or wastewater bypass, updates and public notices will be posted on the Town's Sanitary Sewer Overflow & Bypass page.

2025 Annual Sewage Collection System Report